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Friday, 11 October 2013

My Secret Weapon and Other Random Things

Happy Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Long Weekend! Thanksgiving is my favourite, just sayin'! Secret Weapon! Do you want to run faster, feel stronger and go further than ever before??? I couldn't resist typing that without getting my 'infomercial mode' on...hehe. Then you need to try Beet Root Juice! ;)

I've been experimenting with Biotta Beet Root Juice for a little while now. Yes, this close to race day. I know what you're thinking. I have been researching the effects of the reddish purple wonder for a while now but I just couldn't be bothered to try, until recently. I just thought that there couldn't be that much talk and discussion over something that was purely a placebo, could there be? Well, I'm trying it out for the PEI Marathon to find out for myself. You can read one of the many sources here.

Basically, Beet root juice has been recognized as an "endurance-boosting sensation," among runners for the past few years, {Source}. It is an excellent source of inorganic Nitrate and in conjunction with the 'good' bacteria in your saliva it gets converted into Nitrite, which affects several factors in the body to allow for that performance boost that so many runners are seeking. So why would I NOT try it? Well, it's always risky to mess with your typical day to day routines during training as close to race day as this. But in order to reap the benefits, I've read that the optimal time to ingest this 'magical' liquid is between 1-2 weeks prior to race day. One other source can be found here.

If you notice in the pic below I have the juice in a shot glass. It's much easier to get down that way. I do love beets and I actually like the taste of the juice, but having a tall glass of this concentrated mix would just be too much....lol. I also don't even mind the pink urine. Yep, that happens, even though no one told me beforehand! TMI???

Now, here's the part I'm working very hard on: The key is to keep the 'good bacteria' alive in your mouth. This means no swooshing of mouthwash, no antibacterial toothpaste and no chewing gum. :( I haven't chewed any gum at all since well over a week ago! :0 Be very amazed....Shirley, I know you are! LOL. The antibacterial components of these before mentioned substances negate the endurance boosting effect of Beet Juice by literally killing off the bacteria.

Will it work? Maybe. We'll have to wait and see. I haven't negotiated any multi-million dollar contracts with Nike or Puma just yet. I'm sure they'll call soon though. Just Kiddin'. ;)

Thursday
I had oodles of energy when I got home from work today! I cleaned my bathroom top to bottom, did laundry, prepared dinner, walked Lola and swept my floors all before running! This may have had something to do with the after-school coffee I indulged in when my students left for the day, maybe.

Of course by the time I headed out to run it was dusk and I threw on my reflective vest, along with my super cool blue Adidas capris that I hadn't worn since the Spring! Remember these babies? :D

The Run
4 steady miles
31:00 minutes
7:36 Avg. pace/mile

I felt very good and strong on the run tonight. I'm thinking that there are several factors at play right now which are making my perceived efforts feel smoother and somewhat less:

The air is much much cooler and not HUMID like those crazy insanely suffocating days during July - August!

I'm Tapering. Enough said. I'm running less and therefore when I do run, I'm like a bull busting out of the gate. :S

Beet root juice??? Is it displaying it's magical powers, or is it all mental, much like a placebo??? Wait until race day and maybe we'll have some answers!

Friday
Rest day. During tapering. Slightly fidgety. If I may say. Don't worry, I know it's a part of the method and it has it's purpose.

A student's grandmother baked these chocolate chip banana muffins for us on Friday.....mmm. The kids enjoyed a story at the end of the day with their muffins. What a great way to end our week of work before all the Turkey festivities!

And here's Miss Lola when I arrived home from work. :D We did the weekend dance, as we do every Friday, TMI again??? ;)

I'll be heading to the Valley on Sunday to watch the Valley Harvest race. I'll be cheering this year for the first time ever. I've run it since 2009 and love it every time. Even when I ran the full marathon in 26 degree Celsius weather! Courteney and Janet will be running it and a few other people I know. I'm looking forward to it. :)

Well yesterday was a fantastic day all around, especially for a Team Relay! Last year I was so bummed out around this time because of the ...

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For obvious reasons....and for those who don't know me well.......I'd like to state that I am not a licensed nutritionist, coach, elite athlete, physiotherapist, sports doctor, etc. I am just sharing my knowledge and passion for running by showing what has worked, and is currently working for me. :)Heather